


Second Chances

by An_Ever_Fixed_Mark



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, BB-8 is Rey's BFF, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/M, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Rating May Change, Tags May Change, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), rey is a strong independent woman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:47:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26766025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/An_Ever_Fixed_Mark/pseuds/An_Ever_Fixed_Mark
Summary: Rey Niima is an ambitious young woman who has pulled herself out of the slums of Jakku to become the successful business owner of a modest consignment shop on the outskirts of Coruscant.  When she saves Bebe Ayt from street thugs, she gains a friend, but finds herself embroiled in the dangerous secrets of the girl's past.  The arrival of the dark and mysterious Kylo Ren in the shop throws their world into chaos as they struggle to determine who is friend and who is foe, and Rey is torn between the intense and unexplainable attraction she feels towards Kylo and the loyalty she feels towards her best friend.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 14
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am neither a lawyer nor an accountant, so please excuse any faux pas in regards to either profession that might arise.

There was a chill to the wind as it blustered around Rey. Shivering, she pulled her jacket tighter around her slender frame as she hurried to the door of the old duplex that she had repurposed as a small consignment shop. As she stepped inside and flipped on the light, a contented sigh slipped from her lips – both at being out of the unseasonably cold air, and at the joy her little store brought her. Second Chances was a dream come true, and its name was certainly fitting, as Rey had never expected she could make it to Coruscant from the slums where she grew up in Jakku. Even if she was only on the outskirts of the bustling capital city, she was there, and her humble shop was finally starting to turn a meager profit.

Her coat and gym bag fell to the floor with an unceremonious thud as she glanced at the clock. It wasn't all that surprising that she still had nearly an hour until the shop opened for the day. She'd always been an early riser. Grabbing a large paper bag from behind the counter, she began to pull the items from it which she had accepted from a consignor the night before. There were some nice cashmere blend sweaters, a few satin clutches and miscellaneous accessories scattered at the bottom. 

Rey shook her head, eyeing the expensive jewelry that the owner had discarded so flippantly, hoping that if she ever found herself with enough money to afford items like these that she wouldn't also gain the attitude that seemed to go with them. Moving about the shop to display the new goods, she let her mind wander, taking her back to a time when she didn't even have as much as she did now.

"'Scuse me?" The police officer looked in the direction of the meek voice and his brow wrinkled in concern as he took in the small child sitting by herself on the bench outside the station door, swinging her legs back and forth. He knelt in front of her so they were eye level.

"Hello, sweetheart, what are you doing here all alone?" He looked around to make sure he hadn't missed a parent somewhere nearby.

The girl extended a wrinkled envelope towards him. "Mama said to give this to the first person that looked like you that walked out that door if she wasn't back yet."

Unease churned in his gut, as he took the proffered paper and lifted the flap. After reading the note inside, he barely muffled a curse, and looked at the little girl with large brown eyes staring innocently at him. 

"Rey," he said. "That's your name?"

She nodded.

"Do you know your mama's name, Rey?"

Another nod. A small spark of hope ignited in the police officer's eyes as he waited for her answer. "It's Mama!" the spark was quenched as quickly as it had come. 

Leading her inside, he handed the letter to the stern looking receptionist, whose features softened into pity as she read the letter. Rey watched her step from behind the desk and hold out her hand with an offer to find her something to eat. Spurred on by her rumbling belly, Rey eagerly accepted the woman's offer. 

Some hours later, she'd been taken to a place where many other children played and adults with tags clipped to their shirts meandered about the room, watching them, and breaking up fights or commenting on crayon drawings. She felt safe and appreciated for the months she stayed there, while, unbeknownst to her, all roads were being taken to track down her mother and her full identity, without success. 

That had been the easiest time, Rey thought as she arranged one of the sweaters on a mannequin in the window. Taking one of the carelessly dumped necklaces, she completed the look with a nod of satisfaction before her memories sucked her in once more.

"What's the haul today, kid?" Unkar Plutt rasped out as Rey entered the run-down, dirty house. For nearly fourteen years, she'd heard the same question from the greasy old man assigned by the state to foster her. 

She threw the money on the table between them that she'd collected from the wallets she'd snatched that day from unsuspecting townsfolk. If Unkar ever found out she'd been skimming a portion for herself for the last decade, there was no telling what the temperamental man might do to her, but she didn't care. He thought he had her trapped by never allowing her a cent of what she brought him.

When she had first entered his house, he'd taught her to beg from rich-looking people at the bus stops, tugging on their coats and making her eyes wide as she spouted the lie that she'd left her lunch on the bus, and could they spare a few dollars for her to get more food? 

As she'd grown, Unkar had taught her to pick pockets, and she'd gotten quite good at it. Once, when she had complained, he'd withheld food from her for three days, only giving her a bottle of water and reminding her that without him, she'd have no one, since even her own mother had thrown her away.

It was a small consignment shop in his name from which he claimed to be getting his income when the government asked, but the store was dusty and forgotten. He sat in a back room watching raunchy videos and sleeping the day away, relying rather on what Rey stole to support them. Rey hated him. She had been counting down the days until she turned eighteen – on the birthday assigned to her by the government, since her real birthday was unknown, like just about everything else about her. 

When the eve of her eighteenth birthday finally rolled around, she entered the grimy dwelling to the daily question. Taking a deep breath, Rey steeled herself for the moment for which she had been preparing for months. 

"Nothing." She whispered, with faked trepidation.

The deep red color of fury flared across Unkar's face as he raised his beady eyes from the spot on the table, where she'd thrown her money for the last fourteen years, to her defiant glare. 

"What do you mean, 'nothing'?" he gritted out as he hefted his tremendously wide frame out of the chair to return her glare. "I thought I trained you better than that, girl. You know what happens if you fail me."

 _Good_ , Rey had thought to herself. It was going exactly how she hoped. "I didn't get anything today."

"Picking pockets isn't that hard. You are never to come home empty-handed, do you hear me?" He slammed a meaty fist on the cheap table, which shook and cracked under his assault.

Rey swallowed, in an attempt to provide some moisture to her dry throat, and with a deep breath responded, "Then why do you make me do it for you? Certainly, you could do better yourself."

Instead of rushing her, as she'd feared he might, he narrowed his eyes and scoffed, "Ha! No doubt I might, but why should I do the work when I can have you do it for me, you stupid girl? I taught you the trade, is that not enough from me?"

"No, Unkar, not anymore." Shock and rage collided on his face. Before he could respond, she continued, "Maybe when I was underage and under your control, you could manipulate me and force me to commit crimes against my will so I didn't have to wonder if I'd be allowed to eat, but tomorrow I turn eighteen, and I will have control of my own will."

An evil sneer lifted one side of his thin lips. "And how do you think you'll get by without doing the very thing you say you refuse to do? You have nothing, girl. I own you."

"You will help me get on my own two feet, Unkar, out of the –" Rey's lips twitched up in an amused smirk as she cooed, "– goodness, of your heart. Because if you don't, I'll expose you to the authorities." 

A full-bodied chortle escaped him. "And you really think they will believe you, a nobody, with no proof?"

Rey couldn't help the full grin that spread over her face as she had stepped back and pointed to the camera she had hidden on the shelf behind her, moving an empty cracker box away to uncover the blinking red light, which she had snuck in to turn on right before the old greaseball had come home. After she assured him that he would never find the location where the recording was stored, the fat man sank into his chair, defeated. Rey clicked the record button, to turn off the camera and placed her hands on the table to lay out her demands. 

The next day, they had gone to the lawyers first thing in the morning to sign the deed of the consignment shop over to her. 

"With the cash that I found in the drawer this morning too, right, Father?" Rey said, with a sugar sweet smile. Unkar's eyes narrowed slightly. Under the solid wood desk where they sat across from the lawyer, she placed her heel over his foot and ground slightly, reminding him to play his part. It was better, she had convinced him the previous night, to lose his source of income than to go to jail. She'd been willing to take whatever punishment would have fallen on her for her own crimes if it came to it, just to see him pay one way or another.

"That's right." He ground the words out. "A little something to get her on her feet, now that she is an adult, with a strong desire to set out on her own."

Rey plastered a dramatic pout on her face, batting her eyelashes at Unkar, before looking to the lawyer. "He is regretting his decision to teach me to be so fiercely independent growing up." She swung her puppy-dog eyes back to the greasy man, trying not to gag at the idea of expressing gratitude to him or using terms of endearment, even if it was faked. "Don’t worry, Father, I will always cherish the lessons you taught me, but you know me." She let out a little giggle, as though they had some little inside joke to which she was hinting.

The lawyer obviously bought the performance, because she tilted her head to side with a smile and a little "aww" before asking, "Alright then, how much are we gifting to Miss Niima with the shop?"

Before Unkar could respond, Rey raised her eyebrows in feigned disbelief and leaned towards the woman as though she were letting her in on a giant secret, which, she realized, she actually was doing just that. "There was ten _thousand_ dollars in the drawer this morning, with a little note that said 'Happy Birthday, Sugarplum. You'll do great.' Can you believe it?!" She squealed for added effect, as well as to cover up Unkar's reaction, which sounded a bit like the noise one might emit after taking a punch to the gut. 

Despite the nerves she felt, wondering if she could actually pull this plan off, they left a few hours later with the proper legal documentation proving Rey was now the sole proprietor of Plutt's Consignment. _Yeah, that name has to go_ , Rey thought. 

Once they were around the corner from the law offices, Unkar pulled her around harshly to face him, dropping his pudgy head to her eye level and demanded to know how she had gotten ten thousand dollars.

She would never forget the look on his face as she replied calmly, "Unkar, you lazy pig, did you never think, even once, that I wouldn't skim off of what you made me steal? Ten years lets you save a lot of money when you take five dollars here, ten dollars there. You have made my life a living hell, now you are about to find out how it feels for yourself." With that, she had wrenched her arm from his grasp and walked away from him forever. 

"Hey!"

Rey looked up with a smile at the girl bounding down the stairs of the consignment shop from the apartment they shared above the store. "Good morning." She replied warmly, as the girl headed to the new window display to observe Rey's work.

"Looking good, Rey. These things ought to sell for a pretty penny, huh?" Not waiting for a response, she headed to the front door and unlocked it, flipping the sign on the door to read "OPEN" to passersby.

Still feeling the draw of memory lane, Rey considered the first time she'd met Bebe Ayt, just six months after her liberation from Unkar Plutt. Teedo had been harassing Bebe in an alley, shaking her down for cash or valuables and threatening terrible things if she didn't cough something up for him. Fear had been evident in her eyes when Rey had stepped in to help her. The bully of Jakku's slums was a force to be reckoned with, but he also knew Rey had a good handle on defending herself and didn't want to cause a scene with the rascally golden-girl of Jakku. He had shoved the girl out of his way and muttered under his breath as he stomped out of the alley. 

Collecting the shaking girl into her arms, Rey had realized she couldn't be more than a few years younger than herself. As soon as she learned the girl was on the run for her life, she had offered her refuge in the shop, and they had been best friends for the last five years. Bebe had even stuck with Rey when Rey had proposed the crazy idea of packing everything up and moving to Coruscant to start fresh in a better place. 

Rey blinked rapidly as she registered Bebe's hand waving in front of her face. "Hellooooo, anybody home?" 

Rey chuckled. "Sorry. My brain has been stuck in the past this morning."

"Well, not much good happened there, so why don't you come back to the present." Bebe stated matter-of-factly, as she pulled on the handle of the safe under the counter out of habit, checking it was securely protecting the documents inside, which were far more precious to her than any amount of money every would be.

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Rey replied, instantly perking up as the bell on the front door chimed, heralding the entrance of a customer. A tall, wiry, ginger man walked slowing into the shop, eyes darting around the store with mild disdain as he removed his black leather gloves and shoved them in the pockets of his expensive cashmere coat. 

While most of their customers were women, Rey was not unaccustomed to men wandering in from time to time to find something nice for their ladies. Most of those men ended up in her shop because they lacked the means to buy the items found within at their full price. This man, however, oozed wealth. From the bespoke overcoat to his spotless, shiny oxfords which clicked on the floor as he moved towards them, Rey felt unnerved by the sudden appearance of the man in her store. 

He changed course when he had nearly reached them at the counter and began to peruse the racks of clothing and items along the wall. Rey found her voice before Bebe, who appeared equally as stunned by this man stalking through their shop.

"W-welcome to Second Chances. May I help you find anything?" Rey managed.

Turning from where he stood next to the counter, he looked from Rey to Bebe, giving them a full once-over down the length of his nose. Rey thought his eyes flickered to the safe as they lifted to meet hers again, but she dismissed that thought as nonsense. 

"I think not," he clipped out. Without further explanation, he turned and strode back to the door and left the shop without so much as a backward glance. Both girls stared, flabbergasted, at the door for a full minute after it had closed behind the odd man.

Finally, Bebe shuddered, and she and Rey turned towards each other. "Ew. He seriously gave me the creeps."

Rey nodded, trying to shake off the uneasy thought that her walk down memory lane may have agitated the ghosts from their pasts.


	2. Chapter 2

Kylo Ren rolled his eyes as he watched Hux get out of the back seat of the black Town Car and stride purposefully towards the doors many floors below him. Running his hand through his thick, wavy, black hair in an attempt to tame it back into place, he blew out a hard breath and turned on his heel to head towards Snoke's office. He knew Hux well enough, unfortunately, to know that when Snoke's lapdog walked into the building like _that_ , he would instantly demand a meeting with Snoke and Kylo. It gave Kylo some callous pleasure knowing how much it irked Hux that Kylo had garnered so much favor with their boss, even being with First Order Accounting for a much short period of time than the ginger man.

Kylo entered his mentor's office before the annoying red-head arrived. Calvin Snoke looked up from the papers on his desk with irritation before realizing it was Kylo who stood before him. Offering him a faint smile, which was more than others were ever afforded from the bald, wrinkled man, Snoke asked, "What can I do for you, son?" Although they shared no blood, Snoke had taken Kylo's father's place after his father had left Kylo and his mother on their own years before. Kylo had always appreciated the guidance the aging man had offered, regardless of his stern demeanor.

Before Kylo could answer, they heard the sharp slap of Hux's heavy footfalls pounding down the hallway. Seconds later, he stormed in the office, ready to demand Snoke call a meeting with Kylo. Upon seeing both men present and accounted for, he gave a terse nod and said, "Ah good, Ren. You're already here."

"Armitage." Snoke said blandly, in greeting. Although the man was helpful to have around, and good at his job, Snoke found his impudence extremely vexing. Where Kylo was often quiet and calculated in his business decisions, leaving his bottled rage to fuel him to rise quickly through the ranks in the company, Hux's impetuous nature ruled the man's emotions, which had come in handy in the past, but left little room for advancement in the future.

"You know how much I dislike playing the scout, Calvin." Hux chucked his gloves onto the glass coffee table at the far side of the room. 

"But you do it well, lad." The old man stated plainly, ignoring the temper tantrum the grown man was having in his office. "Did you discover anything?"

"Of course I did." Hux huffed, as though offended at the possibility of failing, even in something he despised doing.

Kylo only knew some of the backstory of the errand Snoke had sent Hux on this morning. From what Snoke had shared, he gathered that many years ago, the disgruntled owner of a failing business had fabricated documents to make it look like there had been unethical dealings with First Order Accounting because he blamed them for his financial ruin. The man had gone bankrupt and called to verbally attack Mr. Snoke many times, until the unfortunate man and his wife had met their end at the hands of a drunk driver. New information had recently surfaced however that the man had passed the falsified documents to his children, who sought to complete their father's vendetta.

Shrugging out of his coat, Hux continued, "The daughter is working at the shop. When I moved to the side of the counter, I noticed her inch closer to the safe under the register, as though subconsciously trying to protect whatever was inside. I have no doubt that what we seek is in that safe."

"Were you recognized?" Snoke responded.

Hux shook his head. "There's no way I could have been. I never met the girl before."

Kylo let out a harsh laugh, which lacked any humor. "Did they suspect anything? Seem anxious? Nervous? Unsettled?" Hux glared, but Kylo continued, "Come now, Hux. We all know you aren't exactly a people person. You decidedly lack charm and class." Before Hux could launch himself at Kylo and prove Kylo's words true, Snoke's voice boomed through the office.

"Gentlemen. Please." The demand, for that's what Snoke's two words were, emanated the power that reminded the two younger men before him why he had been successful in building First Order from nothing, to become the most prestigious accounting firm in the city. They quieted instantly. Bringing his voice down several decibels, Snoke continued, "Hux, although Kylo was fairly tactless in his commentary, his general point is valid." Kylo smirked as Hux's face turned nearly the same shade as his hair. Fury danced behind his eyes, but he said nothing.

Instead, Kylo took a step towards Snoke's desk. "Sir, if I may, I will go myself to personally retrieve the documents, so that we may maintain the integrity of this company."

A sly grin pulled at the edges of Snoke's lips. "Yes. Yes, that is a good plan, my boy." Kylo heard a whispered curse behind him, too quiet to reach Snoke and the smirk on his face spread. "Hux! Tell Kylo any pertinent details." Kylo turned with a shit-eating grin towards the humiliated man behind him and lifted his eyebrows, goading him on. After getting the basic physical description of the girls who were in the shop, as well as location and make of the safe under the counter, Kylo offered a brief nod of acknowledgement to Snoke and strode from the room.

Kylo sauntered past the old building on the corner which had been turned into a consignment shop. The sign on the front of the building confirmed he was in the right place. Second Chances. Glancing in the windows as he passed, he was disappointed to find that both of the girls he could see had their backs to him, but based on Hux's descriptions, he felt confident they must be the ones Hux had met earlier. Turning back towards the door, he twisted the knob and was announced by the jingling of an annoying, tiny gold bell over his head. 

At the sound, both of the girls at the counter turned, abandoning the pile of clothes they had been sorting through. _Stars above_ , he thought, as his gaze landed on the taller woman, for 'girl' she definitely was not. Kylo pegged her as early twenties - maybe five to seven years younger than himself, but she held herself like one who carried the heavy burden of having been forced to mature before her time. Her medium brown hair had been pulled into a messy, utilitarian bun atop her head, from which a few wavy tendrils had fallen loose to frame her prominent cheekbones and strong jaw. It wasn't until he looked into her questioning chocolate brown eyes that he realized he was gaping, frozen in the doorway of the little boutique, and mentally cursed himself for acting more awkwardly than Hux did on the daily. 

"Welcome to Second Chances. May I help you find anything?" The captivating woman spoke, her voice tinged with an accent that Kylo couldn't exactly place. 

For once, words escaped the typically smooth-talking accountant. With an embarrassingly audible gulp, he shook his head, and the woman looked at the girl next to her, with eyebrows raised in question. Kylo forced his eyes to transfer their attention briefly to the younger girl. As Hux had described, she was short. Very short. Kylo doubted that she was any more than five feet tall and she had a much rounder figure than the elegantly poised woman next to her. He mentally sneered at the cheap t-shirt she wore, which was covered in hideous orange circles. Her face wasn't unattractive, but it still had the girlish features of childhood and Kylo couldn't think of any word except 'cute' to describe her. 

The thought of this girl, who couldn't be more than twenty, having possession of something so utterly damning to his employer seemed preposterous, but he'd seen less plausible things cause greater problems so he wouldn't write her off as harmless yet. 

Remembering why he was there helped to pull him out of his stupor. He searched for the right words to say, but before he could speak, the taller woman narrowed her eyes at him and bit out a tepid, "Well, if you need anything, my name is Rey, and I am the owner here."

She didn't trust him. He wasn't surprised. He found that it often took people time to warm to him. His icy demeanor was a cloak he'd donned when his father had left, vowing to never let anyone close enough to hurt him that badly again. The only time he removed it, was to allow his fiery rage to explode from him. He'd lived in one extreme or the other for so long, that it wasn't until this moment that he seemed to remember there was potential for anything in between. 

And it unnerved him to realize that he _cared_ about this woman's trust. "Rey, forgive me for my incredibly rude behavior just now. I was stunned speechless by your beauty. My name is Kylo." The other girl giggled giddily at his comment, but Kylo barely noticed. All he was focused on was Rey's response.

_Whoa_ , Rey thought as the imposing man standing in her shop finally spoke. His voice was a rich baritone and it made something inside of her belly flutter in a way she'd never experienced before. Something about this man made her brain scream _DANGER!_ but she couldn't help but find him captivating. He was built like a mountain. He was at least a couple inches over six feet tall and had broad shoulders that tapered into a defined waist, and somehow, even with the layers of clothing he wore, she just knew he was extremely fit.

His thick black hair just barely dusted the tops of his shoulders, and yet somehow instead of looking sloppy, it added an air of class to his high-end wardrobe. Rey nearly drooled when he reached up one of his large, masculine hands to run his fingers through those luscious strands. His face, at first glance, wasn’t handsome in the conventional sense, but as she looked closer, she was draw in by his intense brown eyes and the slope of his long nose which lead to a pair of full lips, framed by a well-groomed mustache and goatee.

It was odd to her that this was the second wealthy man to turn up in her shop in the same day and her gut warned her that something was not right. Her heart, however, flipping around wildly in her chest, told her gut to shut the hell up. She wanted to trust this beautiful, dangerous man, and that made her nervous. Her gut had never steered her wrong before. Choosing to ignore her gut growing up definitely would have landed her in juvie more times than she cared to consider. 

So why was she willing to tramp down 'Old Reliable' now? And for a man, no less. The only positive experience she'd ever had with a man was the minutes she'd spent with the policeman the day her mother abandoned her. Other than that, the men she'd encountered had proven to be scoundrels, scalawags, or worse. She'd written them off, content to make her own way in the world, with no one but herself and her loyal friend, Bebe Ayt.

She was snapped out of her internal conflict by her friend's bubbly voice exclaiming, "I'm Bebe!"

Kylo offered a cursory smile and "hello" to the younger girl who couldn't seem to stop giggling. _Nice to know I'm not the only one he's effecting_ , Rey mused to herself. 

"You know, Rey, there is something you might be able to help me with." She caught his eyes dart to her left hand for the briefest second, before he offered her a smile that made her weak in the knees. "I'm wondering if you could show me where the best coffee in this neighborhood is."

With a nod, she was grabbing her coat instantly, and gliding towards him, as though he was reeling her in on an invisible line. "Mind the shop, Bebe." She tossed over her shoulder on her way out the door, leaving her friend gaping as the door caught the bell again as it closed behind the pair.

They'd walked less than a hundred feet around the corner when Rey drew him to a halt in front of a literal hole in the wall. "You can't be serious." Kylo stated. The coffee shop they stood in front of was barely wider than the doorway itself. The long awkward hallway appeared to be no more than a gap between two buildings that someone had slapped a roof onto and attempted to created usable space from.

"Absolutely." Rey said, grinning ear to ear as she stepped towards the skinny shop. She looked back over her shoulder at him. "Are you coming?"

"I will not even fit in that space." Kylo stated flatly.

Rey laughed, and the melodious sound was nearly enough to propel Kylo forward without a second thought. "It's bigger on the inside." She said with a wink. 

He eyed the space and raised an eyebrow at her, still not convinced. 

"Besides," she added, turning back to face him fully, "I thought you wanted the best coffee in the neighborhood, and there is none better than The Little Latte. They work closely with the coffee bean plantations and ship directly from them, then roast the beans themselves. It means more money for the plantation workers in impoverished areas _and_ cheaper coffee for the customer since they cut out the cost of purchasing from a middleman. They also get the beans quicker, which means they are fresher and, seriously, it makes all the difference in the taste. So, come on!" 

It took a lot to impress Kylo, but Rey had done it. He was about to ask her if she was the spokeswoman for the company, but the words died on his tongue when she reached out and grabbed his hand to drag him inside. As soon as their fingers touched, an electric current shot through him, snatching his breath away. From the hitch in her own breathing and the way her pupils dilated, he suspected she'd felt it too. She yanked her hand back rapidly and gulped, before turning and heading into the tiny space. He followed her like a lost puppy, barely giving more than a momentary thought to his surprise at being able to step into the space with her and not feel cramped and claustrophobic.

They emerged from the shop each clutching a large americano. Although he usually took cream in his coffee, Rey had been extremely insistent that he try this coffee in its "pure glory." Raising the steaming cup to his lips, he blew into the hole on the lid before cautiously sipping some of the scalding drink into his mouth. He nearly melted into the sidewalk with the pleasure of the roasted liquid ambrosia. Rey tried, and failed, to hide a smile at his reaction behind her cup. 

They were back at Rey's shop before Kylo could even settle on a topic of conversation, but he knew he had to see this intriguing woman again. _Why is that?_ his mind questioned. _The documents are in her shop._ Oh, right. He was working. They had halted outside her door and she paused before turning to go inside. After a couple of seconds, she gave a little smile and shrug and began to turn towards the door.

"Have dinner with me." Kylo blurted. His nerves caused the question he'd been formulating in his mind to come out as something closer to a demand, and he mentally cursed himself for the delivery.

Rey slowly turned back to him and studied him for a moment. He sensed she was debating with herself whether or not to say yes. Finally, after the longest minute of Kylo's existence, she nodded.

"Ok. You can pick me up here tomorrow night at seven o'clock." And with a smile she stepped back into her shop, leaving him on the sidewalk, staring after her in wonder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys, I think Kylo is a little smitten! ;) Do you think Rey will come to her senses and start listening to her gut?
> 
> Snoke got the first name "Calvin" because it means "bald." :D
> 
> Also, 'The Little Latte' is based off of a real coffee shop called 'The World's Skinniest Latte Shop' in a small island town where I used to live. It was literally the space between two buildings with a roof, back wall and door added to enclose it and it was only about 4 or 5 feet across! They didn't have the same caliber of coffee that Rey and Kylo got, but it was a quirky little place for sure!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can click the links in the text to see the inspiration for Rey's dress, Kylo's suit, the restaurant and some of the food they ate!

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Bebe asked insistently for the third time, plopping inelegantly onto the end of Rey's bed, across from the vanity where Rey was pulling out her "special occasion" makeup. "I mean, we don't know anything about him, except that he is the second fancy-dressed man to come into the shop in the same morning." 

Rey waved her hand in dismissal of Bebe's concerns. "It's _just_ dinner, B."

The younger girl huffed, refusing to let it go. "But you said that you thought that the first guy – the creepy ginger one – eyed the safe. Then another wealthy man shows up, albeit far more charming and sort of weirdly attractive." The last part she muttered mostly to herself, before shaking Kylo out of her mind and refocusing on the point she was trying to make. "Do you really think their visits are unrelated?"

"B –"

"What if they found me?"

"B –"

"What if they destroy your store because of _me_? Because of –"

"Bebe!" Finally, the girl ceased her nervous questioning and turned her attention to Rey. Rey offered her a reassuring smile before dropping her voice back down to a normal conversational decibel and reminding her, "I know how to look out for myself. I'll be cautious, but I'm not going to let my life be ruled by fear and 'what ifs.'"

Bebe pursed her lips as she considered Rey's words. Rey was concerned that if the gears in B's brain ground any harder, she'd see smoke coming out of her ears. Ultimately, with a sigh, the younger girl nodded decidedly. "Ok. Then I guess we should get you ready." Pushing off the bed, she grinned and skipped to the doorway leading downstairs to the shop. 

"Where are you going?" Rey called after her.

Bebe's voice carried up the stairwell. "To find you something to wear, of course."

Trailing down the stairs behind her rambunctious friend, Rey said, with a hint of confusion, "But I have plenty of dresses."

"And your dresses are…" Bebe scrunched up one side of her face as she searched for the right word. "…cute." She finished with a little shrug.

"But?" Rey supplied, prompting her friend to complete her thought.

"Seriously. Did you see the quality of the clothes he wore? You don't need cute. You need class. You need to exude confidence and elegance and poise through the way you present yourself." Bebe spun through the racks of clothes with surprising gracefulness, twirling her arms in the air above her head as though it would punctuate her statement.

Rolling her eyes at the dramatics, Rey acquiesced, and they giggled their way through the items in the shop, searching for exactly the right outfit. Grabbing a couple of dresses off the racks, they headed back upstairs where Bebe clapped in delight as Rey modeled each one.

After donning the last garment they had brought upstairs, Rey sighed and ran her palms over the smooth silk of the simply styled black dress that felt like heaven on her body. "I don't know. What do you think?" She asked, with a sudden hesitancy. Bebe's words sat in the back of her mind. Could she pull off 'classy?' Kylo's expensive, tailored clothes and the self-important way he held himself danced across her mind and a rush of nerves quickly followed.

"Hmm." Bebe tilted her head to the side, thumb and forefinger cupping her chin as she stood in contemplation. The gears were grinding again, Rey observed, her lips twitched upward as she appreciated the effort her friend was putting in for her. Finally, Bebe said, "Well, I definitely think this one is gorgeous, but I think the blue one is better for you. It's elegant, but a little edgy. Just like you!"

Rey grinned. She had liked the blue dress best too. The sleeveless [Neptune-colored dress](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f0/33/79/f03379ae5046803f4706302d4fe790da.jpg) boasted a plunging 'V' neckline which ended exactly between her breasts, and she felt as though the exposure from the neckline distracted from their small size, which had always made her a tad self-conscious. The metallic material hugged her slender torso and flared out just slightly from her hips in a gentle A-line, adding some definition to her generally curve-free frame. It ended just above her knee, and she let out a groan as she realized she would have to shave her legs. Or –

"Do you think if I don't shave it will keep me from doing something I might regret later?" She mused to her friend.

"What? Like sleep with him?" Bebe snorted. "No. I think it will only make you self-conscious for the duration of dinner…or beyond. Because, come. On. Rey. Enemy or not, you can't tell me that the minute you saw him you didn't imagine climbing him like a tree." A pink tinge flooded Bebe's cheeks and she mumbled under her breath, "I sure as heck did."

"Well you really _would_ have to climb, since I'm pretty sure you're eye level with his belly button." Rey deflected with a joke, and Bebe swatted playfully at her arm in response, with a "touche," as Rey stepped out of the black dress and headed to the bathroom to grab her razor.

When she emerged from the bathroom, she let Bebe attack her with makeup and hair pins, content to let the other girl work her magic. Rey had always held a deep appreciation for a fashionable hairstyle and well done makeup, but her former life hadn't afforded her much opportunity to think of such things, let alone learn them. Her signature style was a messy bun and maybe a bit of mascara if she was feeling a little cheeky on a given day, and she never went anywhere without her trusty moisturizing lip gloss that had just the slightest hint of pink.

She watched with growing panic as her friend picked up an eyeshadow palette and moved the brush towards a nearly black color. Seeing Rey's eyes widen at the choice, Bebe smiled and whispered, "Trust me." 

Rey blew out a heavy breath and squeaked, "Ok." Bebe grinned and continued her work. It felt like ages to Rey as Bebe worked her magic, murmuring directions: look up, look down, close your eyes, open your eyes, smoodge your lips. The younger girl wouldn't let her turn towards the mirror to see what had become of her face before she set to work on Rey's hair, claiming she needed to wait to see the whole package together. 

Rey felt her sectioning and clipping up and curling and twisting and pinning, and she had to admit it was pretty fun to have someone make her feel glamorous. Growing up she hadn't had friends, or nice clothes, or even a brush. She'd once picked a comb out of woman's bag, and she'd stashed it carefully away from Unkar's prying eyes, keeping it as her one personal treasure for years. 

Finally, with the push of one final pin, Bebe stepped back to appreciate her handwork. Grabbing the dress, she helped Rey shimmy into it and grinned at her in admiration. At the same moment, they heard a pounding on the shop door downstairs.

"Sheesh." Bebe said, when they both jumped at the intensity of the knock. Running down the stairs, she left Rey to finally turn towards the mirror. 

As her gaze landed on her reflection, Rey gasped, her mouth hanging open in disbelief as she studied the woman staring back at her. No, not woman. Goddess divine. The smokey eyeshadow dramatically accentuated her chocolate eyes. Her prominent cheekbones boasted a subtle pink flush and the matte burgundy on her lips added just a touch of sass. There was a bit of soft volume to the top of her hair before it fell back into a loose, elegant bun at the nape of her neck. The whole look had an air of sophistication and yet Bebe had somehow also captured the essence of Rey's personality. 

_Where on earth did she learn to do this?_ Rey thought as she grabbed a silver clutch and a pair of black satin pumps from her closet. They were the one pair of dress shoes she had allowed herself to own, justifying their purchase by wearing them to all of the meetings when she had acquired the building that had become Second Chances, and her home. 

Butterflies began a frantic dance in her stomach as she stood at the top of the stairs, willing her feet to begin the decent downwards. Grabbing the railing to steady herself as she navigated the stairs in the unfamiliar feel of high heels, she didn't dare raise her eyes from her feet until she had reached the last step.

Kylo's intake of breath was audible across the shop as their eyes met. "Wow," he said reverently. "You are stunning."

Rey smiled shyly. She'd never gotten any compliments growing up, and she was never sure how to react to the attention they placed on her. "Thank you." She whispered. "You clean up nicely yourself." She offered with a smile. [His attire](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EY0OAqpWoAQBa54.jpg) was completely black. A black dress shirt and black silk tie laid smoothly under his bespoke black suit. Like the ginger man who had stepped into their shop that morning, Kylo wore shiny black oxfords, but somehow the clicking sound his made as he crossed the room to stand before her lacked the menace of the other man's. 

Offering her his arm, she released her grip on the railing and was met with the heady scent of his earthy cologne. As he led her towards the door, Bebe handed a long-sleeved wool bolero jacket to her. Before she could reach her hand out to accept it, Kylo was already holding it up for her to slip into. She and Bebe raised their eyebrows at each other in a momentary impressed look at his gallantry.

Outside, a black Town Car waited for them at the curb and the driver was poised by the rear passenger door to let them inside. The vehicle felt wildly out of place in the middle class neighborhood and Rey stifled a giggle as Kylo allowed her to slide into the car first. 

"So," Rey asked as they pulled away from the sidewalk, "where are we going?"

"Zothique." Kylo replied nonchalantly.

Rey's jaw dropped and she stuttered, "Z-z-zothique?" A smile played at the corners of Kylo's mouth, obviously pleased at her delight. She had only heard of the high-scale restaurant at the heart of the capital, which was rumored to have some of the most elegant, and expensive, meals in the world. Never had she ever imagined having the opportunity to actually eat there. She was glad that Bebe had talked her into wearing a fancier dress, even if a nagging voice in the back of her mind told her it wasn't appropriate to be using her shop as a closet. 

Rey had rarely gotten the opportunity to travel into the wealthiest parts of Coruscant and she watched through the window in awe as they passed tall, uniquely designed office buildings and condos boasting shiny steel and glass walls. To Kylo, it was nothing impressive, having been in the midst of this world for many years, but he enjoyed watching the woman across from him stare in wonder. She seemed so innocent, yet he could tell that there was a fierce strength within her, warning anyone near her that she wasn't to be trifled with. 

He tried to ignore the little voice in his head that was telling him he simply could not become attached to the beautiful and intriguing woman next to him, that this couldn't be about more than getting the information he needed for Snoke. Yet he couldn't deny the strange draw he felt to her. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt around another person. It made him want to drop the hardened exterior he'd built around himself to protect himself from being hurt again as he had when he was a boy. It made him want to care. He chewed on that last thought like it was an unsavory bite of rotten food. No, caring for people only got you hurt, and Kylo would never allow those emotions to hinder him again.

When they came to a stop in front of the restaurant, he stepped out of the car, buttoning his jacket and reaching his hand to help Rey out. The amazement and disbelief on her face when she poked her head out of the car was truly endearing and despite having just mentally chastised himself for the feelings he was struggling with, he decided he wanted to be responsible for that look on her face over and over again. 

The same shock that had coursed through her at the coffee shop that afternoon sparked with even greater intensity as Rey accepted Kylo's outstretched hand. _What_ is _that?_ she wondered to herself, struggling to focus on getting out of the car instead of on the forceful firing of all her nerve endings from where her hand connected with his.

He had to feel it too. The corner of his eye twitched and his gaze flickered briefly to their hands before he drew a deep breath and helped her out of the vehicle. Instead of letting go of her hand when she finally stood next to him, he shifted their grip and began to guide her towards the entrance, where a doorman in tailcoats and pristine white gloves opened the door for them with a slight bow. 

"Ah, Mr. Ren. So good to see you again. I have a table ready for you, sir." The maître d' said with jovial politeness. Glancing to Rey, he inclined his head to her. "Good evening, miss. Welcome to Zothique." The man personally led them to table in the center of the restaurant. A single tall candle at the table lent a warm glow across the freshly pressed white tablecloth and twinkled off the highly polished silverware. 

"Thank you," Rey said, as the maître d' held her chair for her.

"Will there be anything else you require from me, sir?" Kylo merely dismissed the man with a wave of his hand and he turned and headed back towards the entrance. 

Rey considered commenting on the rude behavior, but didn't want to spoil anything, so instead she let her eyes wander across the [elegant dining room](https://media.timeout.com/images/102923750/image.jpg). It wasn't what she expected. Granted, she'd never been to a fancy restaurant so she didn't have much to compare to, but it felt almost cozy, despite the obvious lavishness surrounding her. The natural brick walls may have seemed too shabby for such a high-end restaurant, but the pristine white tablecloths and the black leather chairs contrasted beautifully with the walls and multi-tiered chandeliers and arched windows softened the space considerable. The staff were all dressed in the best fabrics and carried themselves with decorum despite looking a little hurried.

"This is amazing!" She said with hushed enthusiasm. 

Kylo smiled at her across the table and she was captivated by the way the simple gesture lit up his whole demeanor. Grabbing the menu, she let her eyes wander across the words in an attempt to calm the rapid tempo her heart was thudding out in response to the charm of Kylo's grin.

"What's good here?" She asked, focusing on the words on the page. She didn't know what half the terms used in the descriptions of the dishes even meant.

Kylo chuckled, which did nothing to help Rey's attempt to calm the thudding in her chest. "Good? Everything here is exquisite. Would you trust me to order for you?" Looking up from her menu, she saw something almost pleading in his eyes, like he couldn't handle it if she said no. It was as if her response meant everything to him in this moment. 

Closing her menu, she nodded. "Yes, I would." She offered him a smile of her own. "Besides," she admitted, cheeks flushing a deep red, "I don't even know what most of the things listed there are." She dropped her eyes, feeling suddenly ashamed of her humble lifestyle.

"Rey. Look at me." He waited for her to reluctantly lift her eyes back to his before continuing earnestly, "You don't have to be embarrassed around me. I won't judge you." He wasn't sure what made him speak those words. Kylo spent most of his time reviling and looking down his nose at those less fortunate than him. But he didn't want to do that with Rey. Clearing his throat, as though it might simultaneously clear the confusion from his mind, he asked her about how she'd ended up owning Second Chances. 

Rey took a sip of water while she tried to decide how she could tell him the truth without diving into her past. "Well, I inherited my first shop and a decent amount of money when I turned eighteen. It wasn't in the best location, but it did alright, but a couple years in, after I'd saved enough, I packed it all up and decided to move to Coruscant where we could have a better quality of life. Somehow I found a bank willing to give me the loan I needed, and I set up shop. We've been here for just over three years, and I'm delighted to finally be turning a small profit already." 

"We?" Kylo asked.

Rey smiled as she thought of her friend. "Bebe and me. I got her out of a sticky situation shortly after I had received my inheritance and we've been together ever since. She's like a little sister to me, and the best friend I could ever hope to have."

Unease rolled in Kylo's gut, thinking about the fact that his mission was more or less to destroy the girl Rey was so fond of. He was saved from thinking further on it by the arrival of the waiter.

"Good evening, Mr. Ren." She offered a cursory look at Rey and said, "Hello, my name is Rose," before turning her attention back to Kylo. "I'll be attending you this evening."

Before the woman could continue, Kylo growled, "Well it took you long enough to get to the table. Are we to expect such delays all evening?" Rey gawked at Kylo's attitude and dropped her eyes at the hurt look on the server's face. Before she could say anything to dispel the tension, he rattled off their orders to the flustered woman. She apologized profusely for the delay and promised to have their food to them as quickly as it could be prepared.

As soon as she was gone, Rey glared at Kylo. "What is wrong with you?" she demanded.

"You saw how long we had to wait for her to come over to us. It's unacceptable." He said without any remorse.

Indignation flared through Rey and she hissed, "No, Kylo, your attitude to that poor woman is what was unacceptable. Look around. There isn't an empty table in this entire place, and I've only seen three servers for all of these tables. She's likely doing the best she can, so cut her some slack."

Kylo stare at Rey in complete shock. There were very few people who would dare to argue with him, and he never tolerated being told he was in the wrong. He replayed her words in his head and wondered, for maybe the first time in his life, if he was wrong, even in part.

After a long pause, he responded quietly, "Perhaps you're right."

At that moment, the waitress came bustling back to their table with the wine that Kylo had ordered for them. Showing him the bottle, he nodded, and she set to work opening it and pouring for them. As she finished pouring the second glass, Kylo swallowed his pride and looked the waitress in the face. "I'm sorry for earlier. I have realized you are busy this evening." 

Rose's eyes widened in disbelief for a moment, before she smiled and said, "It's alright, Mr. Ren. One of the servers couldn't make it tonight. We're doing our best to keep everyone satisfied with their experience. Your food should be ready shortly." He nodded his acceptance of her reply and she scurried away to another table. 

When Kylo forced himself to meet Rey's eyes again, she had an impressed expression plastered over her features. Something about her approval encouraged Kylo. _What was this woman doing to him?_ he thought, not for the first time. 

While they waited for their food, he asked her more about how she ran her business, eagerly interested in knowing everything he could about her. He tried to convince himself that he was only asking about Second Chances to get any piece of useful information for Snoke, but the more that he learned, the less he thought about his boss and the mission he had volunteered to take over for him.

When their appetizer was set between them, Rey eyed the plate with delight. Taking a bite of the eloquently plated dish, she moaned sensually. She wasn't exactly sure what she was actually eating, but she did know that it was the most incredible thing she had ever tasted. She caught the edge of Kylo's mouth turning up as he watched her enjoying the food.

Shortly after the plate was emptied, Rose removed it to make space for their first course, which was a rich, creamy stew. It was only the sophisticated setting she was in that kept Rey from dragging her finger around the inside of the bowl to get every last drop of the incredible soup. The next course was more like a work of art than food. The meat from a lobster had been cut in half, with each portion laying across a small portion of au gratin potatoes and drizzled with melted butter. There were several pieces of perfectly roasted butternut squash adorning the dish with a few dots of a delicious sauce decorating the space between them. Two pieces of sauteed broccolini edged one side of the plate, drizzled in a perfect zigzag with a balsamic glaze reduction. 

After her first bite, Rey wondered if it was possible to orgasm from the pleasure that food brought. She was barely keeping her composure as she took bite after bite of heavenly goodness. She couldn't help the pout that covered her face when she had taken her last bite. Kylo had kept silent as they ate, content to simply watch the pleasure Rey was experiencing as she became lost in her own little world of decadence.

Rose came to clear their plates and Kylo said to Rey, "I haven't ordered dessert. Do you like chocolate?" Rey and Rose shared a 'what girl doesn't like chocolate' look for the briefest second before Rey nodded affirmatively to Kylo. He rattled off a long dessert name to Rose and she nodded, walking away with their empty plates.

Rey took a moment to look at Kylo intently. "You know, we've only talked about me this whole night. Who are you, Kylo Ren?"

Did he seem antsy? Rey watched him fidget with the expensive watch on his wrist for a moment. Finally, he said, "Well, I grew up in Coruscant. My mother had hoped I would follow in her footsteps, but I wasn't interested in law. I left home at eighteen, determined to make my own way. I was fortunate enough to find a man who was willing to help and mentor me through university and then hired me as soon as I graduated."

"And what exactly do you do, that's led you into this luxurious lifestyle?" Rey said, motioning around herself with a general sweep of her hand. 

As Rey took a sip of her wine, Kylo replied, "I'm an accountant." Rey nearly choked on her wine. _It had to be a coincidence, right?_ She thought, as she scrutinized him more closely. In that moment, Rose placed a slice of [dark chocolate cake with a berry sauce](https://imagesvc.meredithcorp.io/v3/mm/image?q=85&c=sc&poi=face&w=5184&h=2714&url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.media-allrecipes.com%2Fuserphotos%2F668993.jpg) and fresh raspberries between them. Rey eyed the dessert. She was _not_ missing out on that. Afraid of what his answer might be to the next logical question for her to ask, she focused instead on shoving an entirely too large bite of the cake into her mouth. It was as fabulous as she had hoped, and it almost settled the anxiousness in her gut.

She took a resigned breath. "So, where do you work, Kylo?" 

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly and she was worried that he had noted the mild distress in her voice, that she had given away her guess of his identity. But he simply grabbed a fork and stabbed a piece of the cake. "First Order Accounting. My office isn’t too far from here, actually." He watched her closely as he brought the cake to his lips. 

Rey gulped. "You know, Kylo, I am _so_ grateful for tonight. It was really wonderful, but I just remembered that I have some important paperwork that I need to take a look at for the shop, so I really need to get going." She rose from her chair, grabbing her clutch from the table. 

"Rey!" Kylo said, catching her wrist as she began to move past him. "Well, wait then, I'll get the car to take you home."

Wrenching her wrist from his grasp with more force than she meant, she shook her head. "No, thank you. You've done more than enough. I – I have to go." Kylo stood as she rushed from the restaurant, not caring if she was making a scene. 

The chill air stung as it hit the tears that had begun to fall on her cheeks. Hailing a cab, she saw Kylo storming out of the restaurant as the car pulled away from the curb. Turning her face away from the window, Rey let the tears fall, dragging Bebe's pristine makeup job in pitiful lines down her cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'd love to know what you think! I really hope you're loving it!


	4. Chapter 4

Bebe was surprised to hear the chime of the bell on the door only a couple of hours after Rey and Kylo had departed. There was no way she should be home yet, unless something had gone horribly wrong.

"Rey?" she called tentatively, nerves fluttering with possible scenarios. She heard Rey's familiar, soft footfalls heading up the staircase. When Rey reached the last step, Bebe was met with red, puffy eyes and dark streaks of mascara dried in morose ribbons down her cheeks.

Concern flooded Bebe. She had never seen Rey cry, had never seen her drop her confident, independent mask. "Oh no, what happened? Did he hurt you?" Indignation flared through Bebe at the thought of that brute laying a hand on her friend.

Rey sighed deeply and dropped her heels to the floor with a heavy thud. She was unable to look Bebe in the eye as she told her, "No, he didn't hurt me. At least, not physically. But you were right. He's a spy. He works for First Order Accounting."

Bebe sucked in a sharp breath. "No," she whispered in disbelief. "This is my fault. I brought this trouble to our doorstep. I know I voiced concerns earlier, but I desperately wanted to be wrong, for your sake."

The smile Rey gave her friend didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's not your fault, Bebe. I don't know what it is about that infuriating man that has me so affected! It was all going so well. He was a perfect gentleman to me. He took me to Zothique. Zothique!" She remembered the beautiful restaurant, reflecting on their dinner for a moment. "Well, ok, so he was actually really rude to the staff, but when I called him on it, he actually apologized to the server. I could tell from the look on her face that _that_ was a first, so maybe that should have tipped me off to his true nature. I don't know. But conversation was easy and pleasant with him, and the food. Oh my stars! The food was to die for." Rey's huffed, and a tremor entered her voice as she continued, "And then he had to go and ruin the best night of my life by telling me that he worked for the company that destroyed your family." Tears began to leak from her eyes once more, regardless of her attempts to hold them in.

"Oh, Rey." Bebe cooed, pulling her friend into a hug. "I'm sorry."

"I thought whatever this insane magnetic pull to him is that I was feeling might have been reciprocated, at least in part. But he was just using me." A sob caught in Rey's throat. She pulled away from her friend to shrug out of the dress and kick it across the floor in disgust. Pulling on a pair of sweats and her favorite old sweater, which was now threadbare from almost constant use, she sank down onto her bed, curling up on her side with a pillow gathered into her arms.

"Well, even if that is true, you got to go to Zothique!" Bebe said, trying to dispel Rey's sadness, hoping that turning the conversation to food – one of Rey's favorite things – might help. It must have worked to some extent because Bebe caught the slightest upward twitch of her friend's lips. "Tell me about the restaurant." She urged.

A smile did try to pull across Rey's face as she thought back to the amazing dinner. "It is so elegant! There is a man wearing a tuxedo with tails at the entrance to open the door for anyone coming in or out. Everyone is dressed to the nines and they have candles on the tables. It was four courses! And good thing, because the portions are tiny. Seriously, do rich people have smaller stomachs or something?" Bebe chuckled. She had no idea how Rey could eat so much food and still remain as slender as she was. Even with the amount that she worked out, it seemed like all that she ate should affect her somewhat.

Rey continued to tell Bebe, in mouth-watering detail about the food, before talking about their nice server Rose. Eventually, her words became softer, until they turned into quiet snores. Bebe inched off the end of the bed where she'd been listening and turned out the light before heading to her own room. 

Rey forced her eyes open the next morning, rubbing at the dried and crusted makeup she hadn't washed off the night before. She trudged into the bathroom and splashed some water her face, feeling better as she rinsed away the visible remnants of the previous night's disappointment. Inhaling deeply at the smell of coffee brewing, she ambled into the kitchen, where Bebe sat at the small round table crunching on a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats. 

"Morning." Rey murmured, pouring a cup of the delicious brown liquid. She sat on the chair across from Bebe, pulling one knee up to her chest, heel propped on the edge of the seat. "Thank you." She whispered, as she rested her chin on her knee.

"Fo wha?" Bebe asked around a giant mouthful of cereal.

"Everything." Rey responded. "Being my friend, not saying 'I told you so,' making coffee." The last comment she added with a side smile as she took a sip from her steaming cup. 

Bebe swallowed down the food in her mouth with a big gulp and looked Rey in the eyes. "You're welcome. You know, Rey, I owe you everything. I have no idea what would have become of me if you hadn't saved me that day. And I sort of think you're ok," Bebe said with a cheeky smile. "So, I will be here to make you as much coffee as you want until you get tired of having me around!"

Rey chuckled and smiled in appreciation at the girl sitting across from her. Glancing at the clock, she cursed and hurried back to her room to make herself presentable in time for the shop to open up, shocked at how long she had slept. 

Rey was grateful for a busy day in the shop. They had a steady stream of customers browsing, bringing in items for consignment, and asking for help seeking certain pieces. It left Rey with less time to think about the catastrophe that the previous day had been.

"Thank you for stopping by. We hope you'll visit Second Chances again." She said with a smile to the last customer, as the woman took her bag of purchased items from Rey and headed out the door. It was several minutes past their closing time, but the woman's substantial purchase made Rey more than happy to stay open as long as the woman had desired to look around.

Before she had a chance to head to the door and turn the lock, the bell jingled and two men walked into the shop. They were nothing like the fancy men who'd been in the shop yesterday, but the recent events had made Rey wary and she eyed them skeptically as she said, as politely as she could manage, "I'm sorry, but we're actually closed for the evening."

The older of the two, who looked to be around thirty and had a pleasant, if not a bit mischievous, smile, took in the shop with a quick sweep of his eyes. The smile flattened into a straight line as he said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I expected to meet someone here. I must have been mistaken." 

He turned to grab the doorknob when Bebe's voice sounded from the back room. "Wait!" She emerged as the man began to slowly turn back around. "Poe?"

"B? Is it really you?" The man laughed in disbelief as Rey watched her friend launch herself into his open arms. He caught her, with a grunt at the impact of their collision, and held her tight for a moment before pushing her back to arm's length and looking her up and down.

"You're so grown up." He said warmly, then a smirk tugged at the left corner of his mouth. "Well, maybe not 'up' so much, but you aren't a kid anymore."

Bebe playfully shoved him. As Rey watched the interaction, realization dawned on her and her mouth turned into an "O." She remembered Bebe telling her about her older brother Poe. Her suspicions were confirmed when Bebe grabbed his hand and dragged him to stand in front of Rey. 

"Rey Niima, meet my brother, Poe Dameron." Bebe was glowing as she looked adoringly at the man standing next to her. 

Poe stuck his hand out towards Rey. "Nice to meet you, Rey."

"Likewise," Rey responded, reaching her own hand out to his. "Bebe has told me a lot about you. It's nice to put a face to the name."

"Only the good parts, I hope." He said jovially. A cough behind him made him turn abruptly. "Oh, so sorry for my rudeness. This is my friend, Finn."

After they had all acknowledged each other, Bebe turned to Poe and asked, "How did you find me?"

Following Rey's suggestion that they go upstairs so they might be more comfortable, Poe explained the night Bebe had been forced to run for her life from his perspective. After a particularly rough day at work, he'd stopped to get a drink on the way home. He had met Finn at the bar, and they'd started up conversation, hitting off an easy friendship. 

When he'd stood to leave, a couple ruffians in white track suits had thrown some unsavory words at Finn, and Poe, in his slightly inebriated state, had quickly stood up for his new friend, by throwing a wild punch. He hadn't realized until later that it must have been a setup, because the cops showed up far too quickly to slap some cuffs on them and haul them off to county jail, where they had been stuck for three months on an immediate charge of disturbing the peace. 

He'd tried over and over to get in contact with Bebe, but the phone had been disconnected. By the time he'd been released, he had returned home to a long-empty house that had been ripped apart, by First Order thugs, undoubtedly, and his suspicion that his imprisonment had been orchestrated seemed validated. Having learned more of his story while they'd been in jail together, Finn had expressed a desire to help Poe seek justice for his family. They spent a couple years trying to track down Bebe. Poe had never been willing to give into the fear that she'd met the same fate as their parents had. 

Rey felt a sad frown tugging the corners of her mouth towards the ground. Bebe had been so young when the worst of the scandal took place. Poe, being ten years older, had become more like a father to Bebe after their parents were killed in a car accident. Bebe had overheard Poe talking to people in hushed tones from time to time, speculating that the accident wasn't actually an accident. It was too soon after their father had shared the details of how Calvin Snoke and his company had ruined him. Too soon after he threatened to expose the man.

"I knew one day I'd find you." Poe said. Rey felt a pang of jealousy for the love in Poe's eyes as he looked at his baby sister. "About six months ago, we started hearing rumors from some contacts we'd made that Snoke had been sending out his loyal spy, Hux, to check some leads on an old client who had been part of a disagreement with First Order. We started to track his movements, but each one seemed to be a dead end. Until yesterday. When he returned to First Order, he had not trudged in as he was liable to do with his increasing number of failed missions. He strode like a man confident of what he had found, and when a new, younger member of Snoke's inner circle left in the same direction that Hux had come from, we knew they must have found something big."

Bebe giggled, "Or small!" She indicated her height with a flourish of her hands and all four of them laughed, breaking some of the tension that was thick in the air.

"Do you still have the documents, B?" Poe asked. He let out a heavy sigh of relief when she told him they were in the safe downstairs.

Rey spoke up sheepishly, "Well, the element of surprise is gone on both ends, I suppose." 

Finn looked at her with concern. "Why do you say that?"

"Although it seemed odd that two fancily dressed men would show up in the store on the same day, I agreed to a dinner with the second one, Kylo, last night. He told me that he worked at First Order Accounting, and I sort of panicked and ran away. There's no way that I didn't confirm their suspicions with my behavior." Rey picked at a loose thread in her sweater, unable to meet Poe's eyes. She felt as though she had ruined months of planning these men had been doing.

Finn reached a hand across the table and rested it on her arm reassuringly. "Hey. It's ok. We've contacted a great law firm that is actually willing to help us and go against First Order Accounting. We'll meet with them tomorrow and get the process started before Snoke even has a chance to consider that something is coming for him." 

Rey left Poe and Bebe to catch up at the table while she pulled out extra blankets for Finn to crash on the couch. Rey let Poe have her bed and she crawled in next to Bebe for the night. 

They closed up the consignment shop early the next afternoon to head over to New Republic Law Group, where Poe had somehow managed to set up a meeting for them at the last minute. 

Soon after they entered the lobby area, an older woman, with her grey hair wrapped in a flawless braid around the crown of her head met them with firm handshakes. Her gruff voice added to her commanding presence. "Welcome to New Republic Law Group. I'm Leia Organa, Senior Partner, and I hear you're looking for representation on a case against First Order Accounting."

"That's right, ma'am. I'm Poe Dameron, and this is my sister Bebe." Poe said politely.

Leia sighed almost imperceptibly before responding, "Well, Poe, let me take you to my partner, Amilyn Holdo. I'm afraid I can't represent you personally on this case due to conflict of interest, but she will be eager to meet with you." The four of them shared a look of confusion momentarily before they stopped before a door with the partner's name on it. 

"You know, I think I'll wait in the lobby." Rey said, suddenly feeling like she was imposing on Poe and Bebe's privacy, even though she had been intimately involved in Bebe's life for the last five years. Bebe looked like she might object for a moment, but she knew the determined look on Rey's face, so she simply nodded her acquiescence. 

"If you're sure, but you're welcome to join." Bebe said. Rey shook her head and turned back in the direction of the entrance.

The lobby was warm and inviting. Modern wood panels covered the far wall in multilayered squares which converged at the middle on a decorative waterfall feature that offered the soothing sounds of bubbling water throughout the space. Large potted ferns and palms were arranged around the water feature and dotted the room, making Rey feel more like she was in a jungle and less like she was in the middle of a bustling city.

She sat down in one of the plush seats near the waterfall and leaned her head back against the wall. Closing her eyes, she let the sound of the water lull her into a peaceful state. It was so rare that she took a moment to be still in the midst of everything she needed to do on a daily basis. 

A thought came unbidden: _You didn't want to be part of the meeting because you don't want to be part of destroying Kylo Ren's life, even if he tricked you and used you._ Rey immediately shot down the thought. She didn't even know him. Not really. And yet…

She was pulled from her musings of her misplaced trust in the dark and dangerous Kylo Ren by Leia settling into the chair next to her. The movement was graceful, but it belied a weariness in the older woman, which Rey was inclined to think had little to do with the physical state of her and more a burden weighing on her mind.

"You don't wish to be a part of your friends' meeting?" The woman asked curiously. 

Rey studied Leia's face. Little wrinkles edged the corners of her eyes, which were kind and inviting. _This woman deserves your trust,_ Rey's gut whispered.

"You mentioned a conflict of interest earlier. Well, I feel like I also have one." Rey said quietly. 

"Oh?"

"I love Bebe like she's my own sister and I've been fully in support of helping her find justice for her family. We've always agreed that First Order Accounting was the enemy and we hated them for all the terrible things they had been responsible for." Rey paused. She couldn't believe how much personal information she was sharing with a complete stranger. But still, the nagging voice in her head kept insisting that this woman was trustworthy. If Rey was being honest with herself, she didn't really have anyone else to tell. The only person she had ever let get close to her was in that room with the lawyer right now.

"But?" Leia sensed there was more Rey needed to share, but she didn't want to force the girl to speak.

Rey finally continued, "But I met someone who works there. He's – " She considered what she actually thought about Kylo. "He's infuriating, and rude, and arrogant."

"And you like him." Leia finished for her, understanding Rey's feelings more than the girl could ever know.

Rey groaned quietly. "I barely even know him. We got coffee, and we went to dinner once, and it didn't even end well."

Leia placed her hand tenderly on Rey's arm, looking at her the way Rey imagined a mother might look at her child. It was a look she had longed for her entire life. The look that said it would all be ok, and that she was loved and cherished, and that she wasn't alone. 

Unsure of what to do with the foreign emotions flooding her senses, and needing to not be talking about herself anymore, Rey ventured the question, "Why do you have a conflict of interest with this case, if you don't mind me asking?"

Leia offered a sad smile. "My son works for Calvin Snoke." There was so much lingering under her statement and Rey felt as though she fully understood the weariness she had sensed on the woman, even though Leia had offered no other comment.

Turning her gaze towards the waterfall, she finally continued forlornly, "I made some very poor parenting choices when he was a teenager and it caused a rift between us. He left home as soon as he graduated high school and I haven't seen him or spoken to him since. It's been twelve years." Leia's voice broke, and she swiped a finger under her eye to destroy the tear threatening to tumble down her cheek.

Unease twisted in Rey's stomach as the realization hit her that Leia's tale seemed strangely familiar to her. Too familiar. She was trying to process her words and formulate some sort of response when Leia drew a ragged breath and carried on with her story. "I always hoped he would take over this firm one day, but he preferred accounting. Calvin Snoke found him and sunk his claws in, making promises and offers I couldn't. Or wouldn't. So he created a new persona for himself under the cruel tutelage of that snake of a man and never looked back."

"A new persona?" Rey asked, not sure she even wanted the answer she feared she was about to receive. 

Leia gave a sardonic laugh. "He changed his name. He couldn't stand the thought of being Ben Solo anymore. Said his father and I failed him, and he didn't want to be associated with the name, so now he goes by Kylo Ren."

All the breath left Rey. She felt like someone had dropped a building on her chest. Leia studied Rey's expression, understanding dawning. 

Leaning back into her chair, Leia didn't attempt to stop the tear that did tumble over this time as she said quietly, "I _am_ sorry Rey. My son has been lured completely to the darkness that Snoke baited him with." She waited a beat, sucking in a sorrowful breath before whispering, "My son is gone. I know that. I am very sorry if he hurt you."

Rey considered what she knew of the man in question. She played their encounters over in her mind. "No, Leia. There is conflict in him. He isn’t beyond saving. He didn't even do anything to hurt me, except tell me he worked for the man that ruined my best friend's life." She sniffled, refusing to cry again over Kylo Ren – or Ben Solo, or whoever he actually was. "Honestly, you raised a wonderful son." The tears that trickled down her cheek with that admission were unstoppable.

Leia offered Rey another of her motherly smiles, and gently stroked Rey's hair. "Rey, I can tell that you have a beautiful heart. You are all light. If you can, please help my son. Don’t give up on him like I did."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay...I mean, I know it hasn't been THAT long since I updated, but I really don't like making people wait...Depression is a mean bitch though, and motivation was seriously non-existent for a several days. That being said, please forgive any errors and I hope you enjoy!

Kylo's chin rested heavily on his hand as he tried with little effort to rein his thoughts back to his work. Glancing at the paper before him, he found yet another sketch of Rey staring back at him. Snatching the paper off the pad, he crumpled it angrily and chucked it towards the bin near the door. When it landed on the floor beside it instead, he bit out a low growl and stalked over to the mangled page.

"What are you doing to me?" he asked Rey's wrinkled likeness, bringing the paper back to the desk with him. 

He didn't want the intriguing woman to be wrapped up in this mess. _He_ didn't want to be wrapped up in this mess. It shouldn't concern either of them, and yet neither of them could escape it. What he wouldn't give to have met her under different circumstances. 

There was a pull to Rey that he couldn't explain. He'd been attracted to other women in the past, but it was mostly flings and gratification of carnal cravings. With her, it was different. With her, well, he wouldn't deny that she _did_ hold very great physical allure for him even though she wasn't his normal "type." But he wanted to know _her_. What did she like? What were her hobbies? Where did she grow up? What were her goals and dreams and ambitions?

The emotion scared Kylo. 

He'd spent more than a decade training himself to tramp down the emotion and here she was, plucking it out of him like it was free for the taking. Were it anyone else, his rage would be flaring hot enough to burn down the whole of Coruscant. 

The fact that he couldn't be angry with her _made_ him angry. Angry at himself. Angry for being weak. Angry for caring. 

Grabbing the lamp from the edge of his desk, he hurled it at the floor with at much ire as he could muster. The glass base shattered, sending tiny sparkling shards in every direction, and the shade split as its wire frame was bent and distended. 

Of course that was the moment Calvin Snoke chose to walk into Kylo's office. Knowing the rage that always lingered under the surface of his protégé, he barely spared more than a cursory glance at the wreckage.

"Do you want to share what's on your mind?" The question was merely a courtesy. The young man rarely, if ever, shared anything personal with Snoke. At the beginning of their partnership, Snoke had tried to pretend he cared, but he was more concerned about the work that Kylo brought him and the standard to which it was done. He'd promoted Kylo more quickly than anyone in his company because the boy had natural instincts when it came to the work they did. His competence had been crucial in the rising success of the firm. As long as his rage cost them nothing more than a lamp now and then, Snoke was content to let him live his miserable life.

Kylo swiped a hand through the hair that had fallen across his face and leaned back to rest against his desk, hands braced on the edge. He didn't respond, knowing Snoke would eventually ask him whatever he had come to the office to discuss. All the better too, in Kylo's mind. He was private about his life and he certainly didn't want Snoke learning too much about Rey. He didn't want her to get tangled in this mess any more than she already was. 

"Where do we stand with obtaining the documents?" Snoke cut to the chase. No point in wasting either of their time on niceties. 

Kylo considered how to respond without bringing Rey into it, but it was inevitable that Calvin would find out about her, if he hadn't already. Better that information came from Kylo, so he could control what the old man learned. 

"The girl goes by Bebe Ayt and she lives in an apartment over the shop with the owner, Rey. I can get access to what you are looking for through Rey." _I hope_ , Kylo added to himself. Her odd behavior at the end of their dinner made him suspect that she was completely aware of what was going on. Everything about her easy demeanor had changed the moment he had told her what he did. He had considered lying about where he worked, but when he'd opened his mouth to speak, the truth had come of its own accord.

Snoke's eyes glinted with greed and the prospect of winning. "Good. I assume she is the woman you took to dinner the other night?"

Kylo's head popped up as he glared at his mentor and boss. "You had me followed?" he hissed, face turning red as he gripped the desk hard enough that the wood creaked.

"I merely spoke to Phasma about who she had driven and where when I saw that a car had been reserved for the evening." Kylo rolled his eyes. Of course Phasma told him everything. She was loyal to Snoke to a fault. He knew he should have just driven himself.

Snoke ignored the gesture and continued, "See that you get what we need from her and soon. It shouldn't be too hard. You're a good-looking young man. And you're rich. You're like kryptonite to a struggling female business owner. Use that."

Kylo trained his face to the strict, neutral scowl that he wore daily. It wasn't anger that he felt at the boss's words, though, but something more akin to…sadness? Was he sad? Rey was _definitely_ messing with his head. He could do as Snoke asked. The man wasn't wrong. Everything about Kylo's position in society, and the size of his bank account should draw her in if he worked the right angles. But he wanted her to like him regardless of those things, not because of them. The more he considered the prospect of using and lying to Rey, the less invested he felt in the endeavor.

"I'll do my best, but I have to admit, it might take a little work. We had a disagreement at the end of dinner." 

Snoke glared at Kylo, as though he could see exactly what was happening in his mind. "Get what we need, boy. Destroy the girl if that is what it takes. If you do not succeed, _we_ will be the ones destroyed."

Kylo studied Snoke closely. A light sheen of nervous sweat had broken across his bald, age-spotted head and a twitch had begun in the corner of one eye, the muscle spasming in little bursts. There was something important that he was withholding from Kylo.

"Why does this have you so panicked, Calvin?" The man shifted on his feet. He didn't break eye contact with Kylo, but the twitch at the corner of his eye intensified. "You said that these documents were just worthless attempts to get revenge on you for a misplaced blame for a business going under. But I'm not an idiot. There is more going on. What aren't you telling me?" 

"The documents are real, boy." Snoke said plainly. There was no remorse in his voice for what he was admitting. 

"You, you –" Kylo tried to wrap his head around exactly what Snoke was admitting.

"Embezzled." Snoke supplied for him. "Yes, although that word just sounds so scandalous. I prefer to look at it as taking the fee that was truly owed to me for all the work I did. We were still a growing firm and I'd not learned to charge the amount my services were truly worth. So I figured out a solution."

Snoke hardened his gaze as he continued, "Kes Dameron owned a shop called Spice Runners. They imported and sold exotic spices and food products, mostly to the restaurants in Coruscant. As word of the quality of his product spread, he actually grew quite wealthy. I began skimming from his books. The bastard never realized how lucrative his business truly was!" Snoke clipped out a maniacal laugh, as though the thought of destroying someone's livelihood meant nothing to him so long as he lined his own pockets. 

It was harder for Kylo to hold the neutral expression on his face as his boss continued. He fluctuated between rage, hatred and disgust for the man as he listened. 

"Well, one massive shipment that Dameron had paid out for handsomely was destroyed and looted in transport to his shop and it pushed the business over the edge. He went bankrupt because of one bad business move. He blamed us for his ruin and raged at First Order for weeks, sending letters and pounding on the door claiming he would get even."

White showed on Kylo's knuckles where he clutched the desk as he waited for Snoke to tell him the entire story. He didn't trust himself to speak yet.

"I didn't fear being found out. I knew I was smart about the money. It was a disappointment, to be sure, but it wasn't the only – " Snoke's thin lips quirked upwards, " _extra_ income source that we had. Such a relief to have the irritating hate-calls and letters ended when they died." There was no remorse in his voice. The loss of the Dameron's lives meant nothing to the old man other than a reprieve from hate-mail.

When it became clear that Snoke was finished, Kylo pushed away from the desk and paced the room, collecting his thoughts. 

"I didn't sign up to be a part of this, Calvin. Put Hux back on their trail. I will not get tied up in the lies and the illegal activities you relish. I'm done here."

Harsh laughter rumbled from Snoke. It began quietly, until he roared as though he'd just heard the most hysterical joke in the world. "Oh, you stupid boy. You already are tied up in it. Where do you think the money for your schooling came from? Coruscant University is the most prestigious school in the country. I wasn't going to waste my _own_ money on you, in case you turned out to be a failure! What a pleasant surprise when you turned out to be quite the opposite. The investment was a good one. You've brought in more revenue for this company than anyone else here, save myself."

"And mine was honest money!" Kylo shouted. "You are appalling." Kylo kicked a chair, sending it skidding across the room to hit the wall with enough force that it left a dent in the wood paneling.

Snoke's voice dropped to a menacing whisper as he growled out, "You owe me, boy." 

"I can't be here right now." Kylo growled, ripping his coat off the stand near the door with hands that shook with barely contained rage. 

"Boy –"

"I will be taking today to clear my head, you sadistic bastard." Kylo ground out between clenched teeth. Narrowing his eyes on Snoke, he added, "I am younger and stronger than you and if I have to listen to anything else come out of your mouth right now, I can't guarantee I won't try to kill you."

Storming to the garage under the building, Kylo flew out onto the street on his motorcycle. Snoke's words played on repeat in his head as he sped away from the office he had always been proud to be part of. 

"I prefer to look at it as taking a fee…" 

"The bastard never realized…"

"You are already tied up in it."

"I wasn't going to waste my money on you…"

"You owe me…"

Kylo pulled the motorcycle over and let out a loud scream into his helmet. The sound earned the worried and nervous looks of a few pedestrians, who picked up their pace to get away from the crazy man. His chest heaved with the effort of containing the rest of his anger. Drawing in deep breaths in an attempt to settle himself, Kylo dragged the helmet off his head and looked around. His surroundings registered with him for the first time since he'd come to a stop. 

Glancing up, he pursed his lips at the Second Chances sign swinging gently in the biting autumn breeze. He'd unconsciously brought himself to the one person he wanted to see more than anyone, and the one person who probably hated him almost as much as he hated himself in this moment. After an intense internal debate, he turned off the motorcycle and swung his long leg over the side.

Heading around the corner, he pushed into The Little Latte, which somehow felt smaller without Rey there with him, and a few moments later, made his way back towards the consignment shop with two large Americano's warming his hands. Stacking the drinks, he grabbed the doorknob of the shop and cursed when it refused to turn. Looking into the store, he realized that the lights were off, and his gaze fell to the little chalkboard on the door which had the hours written in fancy calligraphy.

Tuesday: CLOSED

"Shit." He huffed, fighting the urge to chuck the drinks on the ground like a child having a tantrum. He raised a hand to knock but couldn't bring himself to actually make his knuckles connect with the wood. Rey had literally run away from him. Why would she want to see him now?

Turning from the closed sign, he leaned back against the doorframe and sucked in a steadying breath. He was too much of a coward to knock, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. He shook his head at how pathetic he felt as he slid down to sit on the step. The scalding of the coffee barely elicited a grimace as he took a big gulp from one of the cups.

Rey scurried down the steps of the apartment into the shop below. Flummoxed, she searched the counter for her favorite pen, wondering if she'd accidentally brought it down with her the previous day. She couldn't discount the possibility. She had been pretty distracted by everything that had descended on her in the last few days. Chiefly among those things was –

"Kylo?" It couldn't be anyone else leaning against the door of her shop. Even sitting he was a giant. Pen forgotten, she padded over to the door, wondering if her unending thoughts of the man had conjured him here.

There was moisture brightening his eyes as she opened the door and stepped outside. When he registered her presence next to him, he met her questioning eyes with a sad half-smile. 

"What are you doing here?" The confusion and hurt in her voice made him wince and all he could muster in reply was a slight shrug of his shoulders. Cautiously, she sat down on the step next to him, keeping a respectable gap between them. 

The only sound was their shallow breaths and the clinking of the shop sign as it was bullied by the wind. Finally, as though he'd only just remembered the drinks in his hands, he reached over, offering her the familiar cup. 

"I'm so sorry, Rey." 

Accepting the peace offering, she shivered, acutely aware that she was only wearing an old, baggy sweatshirt and her tiny sleep shorts. Thankfully Kylo seemed too lost in whatever was weighing on his mind to notice, and the weight was heavy enough for Rey to feel it just being next to him. 

"You're not the only one who needs to apologize," she whispered, hearing the conversation with Leia from the previous day echoing in the back of her mind. 'Tortured' was the only word she could think of to describe the look on Kylo's face. There was only one solution she could think of to help.

"I was just about to make some lunch. Do you want to join me?" His eyes widened, as though he couldn't imagine her wanting anything to do with him. Perhaps she should hate him for his work associations, but she couldn't let go of whatever this weird magnetism was between them without at least trying to hear him out. 

The ardent look on her face must have been genuine enough for Kylo, because he slowly nodded. "Ok."

"Good." Rey replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments are the best fuel for the motivation fire! Let me know what you think!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life really has a nasty habit of getting in the way of things, doesn't it? I'm sorry it's been so long since my last update. I hate waiting on stories, yet here I am making others wait... *sigh* Well, I hope this will make up for it! Enjoy! (and I will not wait more than a month for the next update!)

* * *

_Holy shit_ , Kylo thought as he watched Rey rise from the step of the shop. He fought the urge to lick his lips as he took in her smooth, toned legs which were on full display in the barely there shorts he only just saw poking out from the edge of the oversized sweatshirt. Gulping, he stood up and stepped into the shop behind her, waiting awkwardly as she relocked the door. 

The apartment was small but Rey and Bebe had worked to make it feel cozy, even on their meager budget. They had spent hours combing through the thrift stores when they'd first arrived in Coruscant, looking for pieces that they could fix up or repurpose. Bargain bins at the craft stores had supplied material for curtains and pillows, which Bebe had painstakingly sewn by hand. A couple of coats of spray paint had turned a beaten up and outdated coffee table into a contemporary center piece for the tiny living room. A little scrubbing on an old, dirty table and some diner chairs had given the little kitchen a retro-chic vibe. 

It wasn't much, but Rey was proud of what they had done to make the space a home. That was, until Kylo Ren stood at the top of the stairs, looking around with an unreadable expression on his stupidly handsome face. His tailored suit pants, and expensive leather jacket threw into sharp relief the difference in their social standing and Rey cast her eyes down as she shuffled into the kitchen.

The last thing she expected to hear from Kylo as he trailed behind her was, "I love this apartment." He had to be joking. 

"What?" He asked, when he finally entered the kitchen. "You're looking at me like I have a third eye."

Rey sighed. "That's nice of you to say, Kylo, but you don't have to lie."

"I'm not lying."

That elicited a snort of disbelief from Rey. "Sure, ok. This whole space could probably fit in your closet." 

He laughed amusedly, shaking his head at her logic. "Not my closet. But maybe the kitchen." He winked at her, earning a scowl in reply. "Rey, it's not about the size of a space or how much stuff you have. This feels so much more like a home than my place does, and I'm impressed by what you've created. It's amazing."

A deep flush crept across Rey's cheeks. There were the compliments again. "Thank you." She mumbled, trying for a smile. Needing to take the focus off of herself, she asked, "So, Kylo, why were you sitting at my door?"

He pulled out one of the kitchen chairs, which Rey silently begged to not buckle under the mountainous man, and draped his jacket over the back before sitting gingerly. He seemed to be begging the chair the same thing she was. He wiped his palms on his pants, fidgeting for a moment as he tried to find the right words.

"Can we start with a less complicated question?" He replied meekly, with a forlorn chuckle. 

Rey considered pressing him, but finally conceded with a nod and instead asked, "How hungry are you?"

That did manage to drag the corners of Kylo's mouth upward. He was always hungry, and he told her as much. She grinned and started gathering items from various cupboards, opening and closing the refrigerator a couple of times as she turned on the stove. As she turned her focus to the food, Kylo tried not to stare at the swell of her backside that was exposed as she reached to an upper shelf. Grateful that she was engrossed in the food she was making, Kylo adjusted the front of his pants as discreetly as he could.

They didn't speak as Rey cooked, but the silence felt oddly comfortable. Kylo marveled at the calmness he felt just being near her. The burdens he had carried in with him seemed to lighten just by being in her presence. He didn't know how, but he knew he had to find a way to convince her to stay in his life. Although they hardly knew each other, the connection between them was undeniable and, although he would never admit it out loud, he liked the way she seemed to temper the rage he'd always struggled with simply by being near him. _She makes me want to be a better person_ , Kylo thought, and then nearly gagged on the cliché, despite its truth.

Finally, she turned off the stove. Her body had blocked whatever she had been making them, but Kylo's stomach rumbled at the delectable smell. Turning from the stove towards the table she plopped down two plates.

"Voilà!" She exclaimed, grinning ear to ear. "Zothique has nothing on me!" She giggled, as she motioned to the pesto grilled cheese sandwiches surrounded by baby carrots and Sunchips. Kylo was inclined to agree as he took a bite of the mouthwatering sandwich. 

When they were nearly finished eating, Rey fixed a pointed look on Kylo and said, "So, are you ready to tell me why you're really here?"

Rey tried not to be distracted as she watched him swipe his fingers through his hair. _His tell_ , she thought, realizing that he'd seemed nervous or uncertain anytime she'd seen that glorious movement from him in the few encounters they'd had.

"Well, I'm guessing with the way you ran from our dinner the other night that you are aware of my firm's involvement with your friend's family." 

"Intimately." Rey replied, trying to keep her tone steady.

Kylo could see her discomfort, despite her best efforts to keep her emotions on lockdown. "I just learned of the events that transpired today. It took place while I was still at University and not officially part of First Order yet." 

While she wasn’t ready to fully forgive him, Rey couldn't help the little sigh of relief that escaped her lips. Some of the pain in her chest lessened. The thought of Kylo having a direct hand in Bebe's family's destruction was more than she could bear. It didn't excuse the fact, however, that Kylo had chosen to align himself with a monster. 

"I –" His next statement was cut short by the jingling of the bell on the door downstairs. Rey tensed as she heard Bebe's footsteps on the stairs. 

"It is _so_ good to see Poe again, and Finn is –" Bebe stopped dead in her tracks in the doorway to the kitchen as she observed the hulking form of Kylo Ren hunched in the straining chair. Her gaze flitted from Kylo to Rey several times before landing on the empty plates in front of them.

"B," Rey began, but was stopped by her friend's hand held up in front of her.

"How _dare_ you let that monster into our home?" Bebe seethed at Rey, with a rude fling of her hand towards Kylo.

"B, he's not part of what happened to your family." Rey said gently, trying to keep her friend's anger from flaring. "Kylo was just explaining –"

Bebe cut off Rey mid-thought, turning on Kylo, "Do you work for First Order Accounting?"

"Yes." He replied.

Bebe turned back to Rey. "Then he's part of it. I can't believe you'd associate with anyone who works at that den of liars, thieves and murderers."

Shock stunned Rey into silence. She knew Bebe struggled with the circumstances of her Father's financial undoing and her parent's untimely deaths, but the venom that was falling from her right now was uncharacteristic. 

The calm that Rey had sensed from Kylo before Bebe's arrival was quickly fading and his face was flushing an angry red. " 'He' is sitting right here and can hear you." He clipped out. 

Bebe turned on him harshly. "Well hear this then: Get out!" She yelled in his face. 

"Bebe! What is wrong with you?" Rey exclaimed as Kylo rose from the chair to his full height.

Bebe wasn't cowed by the man towering over her. "You murdered my parents!" She screamed at him.

Rey's jaw fell nearly to the table, and Kylo jerked back as though he'd been hit by a truck, but Bebe continued her tyraid before either of the two in front of her could shake off their shock in time to respond.

"Maybe it wasn't you specifically, but someone there did, so you are guilty by association, asshole." She jammed a finger into his chest. If the situation wasn't so tense and unbelievable, Rey might have laughed at how high Bebe had to reach to place her fingertip against Kylo's sternum.

Kylo regained his ability to speak before Rey. Knocking Bebe's hand away from his chest, he growled out, "You know nothing about me, little girl. There may be some unsavory things about our firm that have come to light, but accusing us of murder is a step too far." 

He snatched his jacket from the back of the chair with so much vigor that it clattered to the ground on its side as he strode from the room and stomped down the stairs. The shop bell jingled frantically as the door slammed shut with so much force that Rey was relieved to not hear glass shattering.

"I think that was a little harsh, B. You don't even know him." Rey said, attempting to maintain her cool.

"Do you?" Bebe shot back. 

Rey's eyebrows drew together in a scowl. "I was trying to before you came flying in, gun's blazing!"

Anger was still bubbling in Bebe's tone as she replied, "Why bother? If he works for them, he's been corrupted by them. I thought you were on my side."

"I _am_ on your side! I have been since the first moment I met you and every day since!" Rey exclaimed.

Bebe snorted. "Yeah, until a few days ago when a rich guy saunters into the store and you decide to throw everything away for the first sexy piece of ass that gives you the time of day."

Rey jerked at the verbal slap from her one true friend. Tears pricked at her eyes. "You don't mean any of this, B. You're just worked up."

"And you're just a traitor." Bebe answered with quiet ferocity.

Rey bit back a retort and turned towards her bedroom. Grabbing her gym bag, she flung in a clean set of clothes. Yanking her leggings and workout top on, she burst from the room, past Bebe, not listening to any more of the verbal tirade her friend thought to fling at her. 

Two and a half hours later, Rey wiped the sweat from her dripping forehead with a towel as the treadmill finally came to a stop. The weights she had started with just hadn't been enough of a release of the anger and confusion colliding in her mind. Heading to a mat to stretch and cool down, she winced. _Oh well_ , she thought. If she focused on the impending pain of her overworked muscles, maybe she wouldn't dwell as heavily on the argument that had led her here.

Heading into the locker room, she bristled when she found all of the shower stalls occupied. _Seriously? It's the middle of the day on a Tuesday_ , she grumbled to herself. Unwilling to wait, she toweled as much sweat off as she could and pulled her hoodie over her head. She collected her things and trudged towards the exit.

There was no way she could let the rift between her and Bebe grow. Something had to be done, but despite all the thinking she'd done as she ran, going home lacked appeal. Turning right from the door of the gym would have gotten her home quickest. Rey headed left, opting for the longer route. Lost in thought, she leapt when she heard a deep voice say her name as she passed a park bench.

"What are you doing here, Kylo?"

He must have sensed her nervousness as he eyed her expression because he quickly responded, "I'm not following you or anything. I didn't know where to go after I left. I didn't really want to go back downtown to be reminded of everything that was falling apart around me. This park seemed as good a place as any to try to wrap my head around what's going on."

Rey studied his face for moment before she sighed and dropped onto the bench next to him, shoulders sagging. "I know what you mean." She offered him a sad smile. "Bebe and I had a huge fight after you left. I only came this way to make the walk home longer."

His gaze dropped to her gym bag and the drying sweat at her hairline. "I work out to try to forget too." He said, understanding her completely in that moment.

She stole a glance at his toned physique and let out a soft giggle. "You must have a lot to forget."

"You have no idea." He said with a melancholy chuckle. 

Butterflies fluttered chaotically, low in her belly as he held eye contact with her. It was something she had never experienced before and as much as she wanted to look away, she couldn't bring herself to break their intense connection. It could have been just a couple of seconds, or a lifetime that they sat there, captivated by each other. 

Finally, Kylo broke the silence with the last thing Rey expected to hear.

"You could come to my place, if you want." 

"Oh, um," Rey looked down at the sweaty workout clothes and absentmindedly pushed back the damp hair from her forehead. "I would love to, but I'm sort of gross." She wrinkled her nose as she indicated her gym wear. 

"I do have a shower." He winked, but under his joking response, Rey caught a hint of…pleading? Her first thought was that he was simply looking to get lucky, but she mentally batted that idea away as she studied his face. No, he didn't want to be alone, she realized.

"Alright, then." A genuine smile lit up his face as he rose from the bench and offered her his hand. She eyed it cautiously for a second, before placing her fingers on his palm and letting him lead her to his motorcycle. Pulling on the helmet he'd insisted she be the one to use, they both inhaled sharply at the _zing!_ that went through them as she climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms tightly around his solid torso. Revving the engine, he sped away from the curb back towards the heart of Coruscant.

**Author's Note:**

> Please please _please_ let me know what you think! Comments are SO appreciated! <3 <3 <3


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